Say hello to some of our favorite perennials. Perennials are a wonderful addition to any garden. Our list includes three for sun and three for shade.

Our first three picks for the longest bloom are perfect in any sunny spot. They are beautiful when planted in a mass, when blended in the border or on their own. And they’re drought-tolerant:

Black-eyed Susan offers showy yellow-orange petals and bronze-brown central cones that make it ideal for cutting, especially considering the flowers have a three to four inch wide span!

Coreopsis ‘Moonbeam’ is an award-winning perennial that shows off an almost constant display of lemon-yellow daisy-shape flowers all summer long, especially if you shear the plant back by a few inches after the heavy flushes of bloom. ‘Moonbeam’ and other varieties of coreopsis make good cut flowers and can also be grown in large container gardens.

Penstemon ‘Husker Red’ refers not to its flower, but its dramatic bronze-red foliage. This tall plant sends up airy flower stalks topped with hundreds of tubular white flowers. It’s a top choice of butterflies and hummingbirds, too.

While you can always rely on Hostas and ferns to thrive under your trees, many other plants will readily blossom and brighten shady spots. Here are three perennials that go one step further, blooming for an extended period to provide color for up to three months:

Walkers Low Catmint (Nepeta) features beautiful spikes of lightly-scented powder blue flowers that rise above the foliage from early summer to early fall. Catmint’s relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage. Its small fragrant pointy leaves remain bluish-green in color throughout the season.

Baja Burgundy Coneflowers (Echinacea) are a mid-summer bloomer that make the perfect cut flower. There are two types of coneflower, singles or doubles. Single coneflower have the characteristic large brownish orange center button surrounded by colorful flower petals, while doubles have more colorful flowers in the center, effectively hiding the button. There are many different varieties of this plant, so you’re sure to find one that’s right for your garden. Coneflower is deer resistant and attracts butterflies.

Fernleaf Bleeding Hearts grow about one foot tall and wide. Most Fernleaf bleeding hearts can bloom on and off all spring, summer, and autumn in cool-summer climates. Varieties are available with pink, red, or white flowers.